Few brands have become more synonymous with the sports radio stations that house them than The Hardline. For over three decades, The Hardline brand has been the staple that has led The Ticket from a small startup in 1994 to a format-defining sports radio brand. While the talent has changed over time, the value of the brand recognition has remained despite an attempt to move away from it earlier this decade.
“We definitely tried to get away from it at first,” explained Corby Davidson, co-host of The Hardline on 96.7 The Ticket. “I’ve been on the show since 1999. In that regard, I feel like I have as much ownership to The Hardline brand as anyone. The name is the fabric of afternoons in Dallas.”
Davidson is the longest-standing member of the station’s current trio that consists of what has been dubbed Hardline 5.0. The moniker honors the legacy of the original cast, including former hosts Mike Rhyner and Greg Williams. While adapting the branding to the current shape. Alongside co-hosts Bob Sturm and Dave Lane, the mission statement that has guided the Dallas/Fort Worth sports fan in afternoon drive continues to remain the same no matter who the cast consists of.
“It was the marquee show on the station,” noted Lane about the early days of The Hardline on The Ticket. “I was fortunate to be a bit player in those early days, and I feel I do have a part of my DNA in that lineage. The opportunity to be in this iteration of it, we are as strong of a version as there has been with the brand. We’re firing on all cylinders.”
Extending Legacy
After joining Davidson and Sturm in the summer of 2022, Hardline 5.0 was complete. Entertaining listeners with the latest on the local teams, challenging the establishment, and sharing laughs with what has been dubbed the P1. Those dedicated listeners who have stuck with The Hardline brand through every edition of its makeup for so many years.
“It was a little weird in some respects leaving a show that was mine and then moving to a spot where people had a notion of what to expect,” said Sturm of his move from middays to The Hardline in 2020. “More than anything, I just needed to be myself. I’ve been very lucky to work with two guys like Corby and Dave who set such a fun vibe.”
With the standard set many years before, the trio of Davidson, Sturm, and Lane have elevated the game for afternoon drive in DFW. While keeping some items of the past along the way. With the goal of keeping the conversation not too serious and putting a smile on the listener’s face. The vibe overall remains the same as it always has.
“No matter what, this must be the show that makes people exhale after work,” explained Davidson. “That’s the number one goal.”
Balancing Cowboys Chatter
The DFW metroplex is one of the larger sports markets in the country, with star power at the forefront of the discussion. The Dallas Cowboys are a national talking point each and every week of the NFL season.
Dubbed America’s Team, The Hardline’s approach has always been about being true with the audience, no matter the relationship the station has with the team.
“I like not having the [broadcast] rights [to the Dallas Cowboys] on the station,” noted Davidson. “I enjoy not having them on. They’re always the gold medal team around here whether you want to talk about them or not. We probably don’t talk about them enough, but that’s our choice. We just don’t. We’ll talk about the games and whatever big situation is going on, but we will not ever talk about them for the sake of talking about them.”
Despite The Ticket being the broadcast rights holder to the Dallas Cowboys from 2004–2008. Lane echoed Davidson’s thoughts but does understand the role the franchise plays in the market.
“At this juncture, it’s best for us to be independent, not to have all the Cowboys’ programming that they would shove down our throats,” explained Lane. “We know the compelling content our market wants to listen to. There is a fair share of our listeners that get burnt out, and to be honest we get burnt out too. But Jerry Jones, he definitely knows how to keep that marketing machine running.”
Reaching A New Generation
With every new day bringing new storylines, The Hardline knows they face the same challenge many legacy brands face in today’s content climate. The need to appeal to a younger demographic is vital for the survival of traditional sports radio brands like The Ticket.
“You don’t want to mess with what’s working in many respects, but you can’t lose sight that every year humans get older,” noted Sturm. “Your core audience is aging with you, and we should all want to renew that audience with young people. We need to be aware that the 25-year-olds do not find content like we did.”
With consistent advances in podcasting and the inherent nature of programming in afternoon drive having a shorter shelf life. Davidson notes that the legacy of the daypart and the brand of the show carry with them a dedicated live following and a growing audience on demand because of that listener attachment.
“With the way things are with terrestrial radio, we’re really fortunate that we have the history that we do,” said Davidson. “It’s not the easiest job anymore. There’s a billion things for people to listen to. We know that we’re competing with a lot of people, so the content needs to be top-notch. We’re lucky. When history is looking back at this era of communication. We may be the last terrestrial radio station that was a behemoth.”
Davidson’s Future
Through all the changes at The Ticket since he arrived, Davidson has been a part of The Hardline brand for over a quarter century. He’s seen and witnessed how big the behemoth of The Ticket can become.
When he signed a five-year extension with The Ticket last January, he stated via social media that he expects his current contract to be his last with the radio station. Since then, Davidson has wrestled with the concept of sticking to what he stated last year.
“I don’t know. I’m going to play it by ear. I have another three and a half years or so on that, and then we’ll see,” noted Davidson. “I go back and forth all the time.”
While he weighs his options for a potential stay or holds the line on his decision, Davidson is focused solely on the day-to-day instead of what may come in a few years.
“Both of my kids will be out of the house by that point. That was always the plan—to cut it off there,” said Davidson. “We’ll see. Maybe something will change and I’ll do another couple of years, but that was the plan. Right now, I can see it going down that way.”
Remaining On Top
With that decision in the distant future, the focus for Hardline 5.0 remains the same as it always has—enriching the bond between the show and the P1 at every opportunity.
“We do have a high level of talent in this market. There is a high level of competition,” noted Lane. “It is a very relaxed vibe in our room, and we play off each other really well. We support each other because the attitude is always what’s good for the show.”
Success lies in execution. Consistent ratings success is almost a given as the show continues to build a relationship where the brand can continue to grow into a new generation.
“None of us thought we’d work anywhere on the radio. I think the people here haven’t even pondered going across the street, let alone leaving the market,” said Sturm.
Every day serves as a new opportunity for Davidson, Sturm, and Lane to provide their stamp on this legacy brand known as The Hardline.
“From a radio standpoint, the separation of church and state when it comes to the way we do things compared to others is so incredibly different. That’s all credit to the guys that were here in the beginning,” said Davidson, comparing the approach of The Hardline to their contemporaries around the country. “Whatever we’ve done here, I love it. If it means we don’t get more attention compared to others, I’m all for it.”
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John Mamola is Barrett Media’s sports editor and daily sports columnist. He brings over two decades of experience (Chicago, Tampa/St Petersburg) in the broadcast industry with expertise in brand management, sales, promotions, producing, imaging, hosting, talent coaching, talent development, web development, social media strategy and design, video production, creative writing, partnership building, communication/networking with a long track record of growth and success. He is a five-time recognized top 20 program director in a major market via Barrett Medi’s Top 20 series and has been honored internally multiple times as station/brand of the year (Tampa, FL) and employee of the month (Tampa, FL) by iHeartMedia. Connect with John by email at John@BarrettMedia.com.
Audience is shrinking, hosts are aging out, and heavier ad load with lower quality advertisers. Davidson will quit because if a next contract if offered, it will be for less money.